Hogwarts - Thursday
The trip to his parents house had not turned out as planned.
It’d started out all right even with the heavy silence between Cedric and Professor Snape, who’d been requested to accompany Cedric. Neither Cedric nor Snape had much liked that arrangement but they’d gone along with it.
Cedric was still shaky from the previous day’s attack, still wobbly on his feet and moved slowly due to that fact. Several times, he thought Snape would snap about moving quicker but he didn’t. He kept silent, kept his eyes moving and Cedric almost asked what else had happened since his departure.
“This is a brief visit,” Snape said for the fiftieth time. “Understand that.”
“I understood that the first ten times you told me,” Cedric replied, glaring at him. “I understand. I’m not stupid.”
“That…,” Snape started, a half smile on his face, “remains to be seen.”
“Such confidence you have in me,” Cedric shot back. “I’m moved.”
Snape sneered. “As you should be.”
When his old house came into view, Cedric had a moment of weak kneed shock. It was still there, almost untouched save for a broken shingle or two and it was there. His home. It was something he’d never thought he’d see again.
The windows were dark even though the sun was high in the sky.
Beside him, Snape pulled his wand.
“What’re you doing?” Cedric asked.
“Don’t question me,” Snape answered and gestured towards the door. “Go.”
Cedric moved towards the door and listened for any sound from inside. There was none. He knocked and took a step back, waiting for an answer. There was none.
He tried again. Still, nothing.
“We’re leaving,” Snape said sharply. “They’re not here.”
Cedric whirled, looking lost and stricken. “Where else could they be?”
“I don’t know,” Snape said. “I don’t keep track of everyone’s parents. That’s not my job.”
“But…” Cedric turned and banged on the door again. A quick jerk of the knob revealed that it was…unlocked. The door slid slowly open.
“Don’t go in-“ Cedric didn’t hear the rest of Snape’s order because he was already inside.
It was quiet, cold. Things were neat and tidy, most likely his mother’s work. If the house was in good condition, where were they?
He heard Snape enter behind him. “Satisfy your curiosity?”
Cedric didn’t turn. He could imagine the look of haughty disdain on Snape’s face and he wasn’t sure how he’d react to that right about now.
“Dumbledore knew about this,” Cedric said quietly. “He knew I’d find this.”
Snape didn’t speak.
Cedric moved then, ghosting his hand over the sofa, feeling its hidden warm. He touched knick knacks and plates, both his mother’s idea. He remembered accompanying her on various occasions and watching her purchase the things that decorated their house. Old books, dusty now, that had been his father’s pride and joy.
All that was left.
Dumbledore had known.
Cedric brushed past Snape without a word and didn’t look back.
[NFB and no interaction, plz. OOC welcome, of course]
It’d started out all right even with the heavy silence between Cedric and Professor Snape, who’d been requested to accompany Cedric. Neither Cedric nor Snape had much liked that arrangement but they’d gone along with it.
Cedric was still shaky from the previous day’s attack, still wobbly on his feet and moved slowly due to that fact. Several times, he thought Snape would snap about moving quicker but he didn’t. He kept silent, kept his eyes moving and Cedric almost asked what else had happened since his departure.
“This is a brief visit,” Snape said for the fiftieth time. “Understand that.”
“I understood that the first ten times you told me,” Cedric replied, glaring at him. “I understand. I’m not stupid.”
“That…,” Snape started, a half smile on his face, “remains to be seen.”
“Such confidence you have in me,” Cedric shot back. “I’m moved.”
Snape sneered. “As you should be.”
When his old house came into view, Cedric had a moment of weak kneed shock. It was still there, almost untouched save for a broken shingle or two and it was there. His home. It was something he’d never thought he’d see again.
The windows were dark even though the sun was high in the sky.
Beside him, Snape pulled his wand.
“What’re you doing?” Cedric asked.
“Don’t question me,” Snape answered and gestured towards the door. “Go.”
Cedric moved towards the door and listened for any sound from inside. There was none. He knocked and took a step back, waiting for an answer. There was none.
He tried again. Still, nothing.
“We’re leaving,” Snape said sharply. “They’re not here.”
Cedric whirled, looking lost and stricken. “Where else could they be?”
“I don’t know,” Snape said. “I don’t keep track of everyone’s parents. That’s not my job.”
“But…” Cedric turned and banged on the door again. A quick jerk of the knob revealed that it was…unlocked. The door slid slowly open.
“Don’t go in-“ Cedric didn’t hear the rest of Snape’s order because he was already inside.
It was quiet, cold. Things were neat and tidy, most likely his mother’s work. If the house was in good condition, where were they?
He heard Snape enter behind him. “Satisfy your curiosity?”
Cedric didn’t turn. He could imagine the look of haughty disdain on Snape’s face and he wasn’t sure how he’d react to that right about now.
“Dumbledore knew about this,” Cedric said quietly. “He knew I’d find this.”
Snape didn’t speak.
Cedric moved then, ghosting his hand over the sofa, feeling its hidden warm. He touched knick knacks and plates, both his mother’s idea. He remembered accompanying her on various occasions and watching her purchase the things that decorated their house. Old books, dusty now, that had been his father’s pride and joy.
All that was left.
Dumbledore had known.
Cedric brushed past Snape without a word and didn’t look back.
[NFB and no interaction, plz. OOC welcome, of course]